Space Part 2

Last week my blog was about the space we take up on the earth with all that we are and how we honour the space of our loved ones when they are gone by sharing their stories. I often call it being their Rememberers. Sharing memories and stories of those we love is not a new practice; it is in fact an ancient tradition including both oral and written accounts. I started to think about the early Christian church and how they started in just this way. When Jesus left the disciples and ascended into heaven, he was no longer with them physically. Although he is very present with us here on earth, we can't see him. We have faith in his presence based on the promises of scripture, our own experiences  and the accounts shared by his disciples that have been given to us in the Bible. Jesus' disciples did exactly what we do when someone we love leaves this earth. They shared everything they witnessed about what Jesus said and did. They shared his miracles and his teachings everywhere they went. They shared his love and compassion and endless grace. Jesus took up a tremendous amount of space on this earth! In fact, he takes up an entire creation of space! The most important thing that the disciples shared was the message of why Jesus came to be with us in the first place. To sacrifice himself for us so that by believing in him we would be his children and have everlasting life. The sharing of who Jesus was, his message, his love, his deity, his infinite compassion and grace has been taking place for thousands of years. This is the most amazing oral and written account of the sharing of collective memories in all of history. It is a joyful experience to be part of it. It is also a responsibility I take seriously; am I sharing the love of Jesus with others? Do I exemplify his compassion and mercy? Am I a good Rememberer for Jesus?